Bhushan Director summoned for violation of green law in Odisha

The SDJM court in Odisha’s district headquarters town of Dhenkanal yesterday admitted a case filed by the district administration against Bhushan Steel for violating environmental laws and has summoned the company’s Director Neeraj Singhal to appear before the court on April 15.

The district administration had lodged the complaint in the court of SDJM Arabinda Rath on March 21.

As per information provided by District Collector Roopa Roshan Sahoo, the district administration had carried out investigation against the steel major for constructing side walls, buildings and other constructions on forest land without taking prior environmental approval.

The administration had received many complaints in this regard.

“While the company was issued a show cause notice during the investigation, the reply provided by the management of the company was not satisfactory. That is why I lodged the complaint at the local SDJM court. The case had been lodged based on powers assigned to collectors as per section 19 of Environmental Protection Act,” said collector Sahoo.

“The SDJM has taken up the case after receiving the complaint from the collector on March 21. The case has been taken up for trial under section 15 and 16 of Environmental Protection Act and clause 7(2) of Environmental Assessment Notification-2006 and a summons have been served upon Bhushan Steel’s Director Singhal. He has been asked to appear before the court on April 15,” said Additional Public Prosecutor Surya Narayan Tripathy.